


Skywalker Family Values

by PoliticalPadmé (magnetgirl)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Crack Treated Seriously, Every Force Ghost Ever, F/M, Force Ghost(s), Forgiveness, Gen, Life Day (Star Wars), One Big Happy Family, can you imagine?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27608038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/PoliticalPadm%C3%A9
Summary: Threepio goes overboard in planning a Life Day Family ReunionComplete! Happy holidays!
Relationships: Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 10
Kudos: 28
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. I want to see the floating lights

**Author's Note:**

> This is set 5 years after the events in _The Rise of Skywalker_ and within canon except for two important points: Leia Organa and Ben Solo both survived the battle. 
> 
> To honor the original _Star Wars Holiday Special_ , I wanted my story to be heartfelt but somewhat ridiculous. I play fast and loose with the Force and with the traditions of the holiday.

Ben stared at the planet outside the cockpit as Rey maneuvered into orbit and sent their credentials to the authorities along with a request to land. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Rey shook her head. He'd been stewing the whole trip. She loved the man but his moods were exhausting. "Deo." The little droid rolled over at her call, its nose upturned like an obedient pet. " Play it again."

"Playing it again won't help my stomach ache," Ben grumbled.

"Shhh." 

A blue glow appeared between them and the droid and finally settled into the figure of a protocol droid.

"Hello! I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations and attache to Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. On behalf of her royal highness, and in celebration of Chewbacca the Wookie's 80th Life Day, I cordially invite you to celebrate the holiday with family. My counterpart R2-D2 has attached the coordinates to this missive. May the Force guide your path." The hologram faded and a map took its place, the map they'd followed today. 

Rey grinned. "Celebrate the holiday with family! How much more obvious do they need to be?"

"It's from Threepio."

"On behalf of your mother!"

"On behalf of 'her royal highness'," he countered. "She'd never use her title like that. It's just Threepio being... Threepio." He threw up his hands and flopped back into his seat with an overdramatic sigh. Deo jumped at the noise and hid behind Rey's chair. She pat the droid's head but kept her eyes on her wayward companion.

"Give them a chance, Ben. It's been five years."

His lips curled up into a grimace. "Do you know how long it took my mother to forgive my grandfather?"

She frowned. "No, but-"

"I'll tell you when it happens."

Rey blinked. The console lit up and relayed a simple message granting them permission to land. Rey brushed her fingers over the text. This wasn't how she'd hoped the day would go.

"I thought Chewie was over 200," she murmured when the silence became too heavy.

"He is." Ben shot her a confused glance, but caught on soon enough. "It's not his lifeday," he explained, "it's Life Day." Rey shook her head. "It's a Wookie holiday that's celebrated every three years."

"Oh." She considered this a moment. "Because Wookies are so long lived?"

He shrugged. "The legends talk about the movement of the stars, how they lean closer to us on certain days."

"Sounds a little like Jedi philosophy."

"Maybe. A lot of cultures share beliefs. And Life Day is celebrated all over." His lips curled up again, but with a smile this time. "But Wookies celebrate with a feast and put up decorations, balls of light and branches of trees..." He remembered Chewbacca picking him up to let him place an orb high up in the tree. A lifetime ago. "You've really never celebrated Life Day?" 

Rey shook her head. "I remember one night… I'd been on Jakku a year or so. There was a Coronian with two children and they had these round lanterns that lit up and floated away." She'd watched the lanterns even after the family had left. They were lights of hope in the darkness. "But no one I asked knew anything about it." 

Ben was quiet, watching her remember. He felt the child Rey's wonder, and beneath it her deep loneliness. He pictured her surrounded by sand and the remains of a war that never really ended. Her wide eyes were trained on the sky, waiting for the lights. "It is beautiful." 

He turned again to gaze at the planet below them. Another orb of light, this one mainly green. Leia loved green planets, warm and untamed. Nothing could replace Alderaan's purple mountains and pristine cities. But she built her home in a succession of wild, temperate forests. Ben was born on one.

He took a sharp breath that wavered with his anxiety. "Whatever happens…" 

"I'm with you," Rey said, and clasped his hand. "Always."

Ben nodded and set course to land.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that is a _Tangled_ reference.
> 
> The story is complete and will be posted in full by Thanksgiving 🏮


	2. O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining

"Rey!" Poe's shout filled the room.

"Rey?" Finn appeared beside Poe and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Rey!"

"Hi, Finn," she said into his shoulder with a grin. He squeezed her again before letting go and ushering her into the main room. The building was little more than a warehouse surrounded by hanger decks. But the nascent government had few funds to spare and Leia was a pragmatist. She was determined to avoid the mistakes made after the first fall of the Empire and that meant a lot of outreach and very little pomp and circumstance.

It was, however, decorated for the occasion. There were boughs and sparkles and food everywhere, and a giant tree covered in lights took up a quarter of the room. There was also a crowd of familiar faces. Past Finn, Rey glimpsed Rose, Jannah, Kaydel, Beau Kin and more. Zorii and Lando were at a table arm wrestling and Klaud appeared to be in charge of the bar.

"I never thought you'd come without Re—" Poe's eyes widened as he realized who had followed Rey inside. Ben was too tall and hulking to hide behind her or their diminutive droid, and the room was too brightly lit to duck into a shadow. He stood, pale and awkward and wishing to be anywhere or anyone else. "Ren?"

"Ben," Rey corrected, her tone not even a little polite, and she moved to stand between Ben and the others.

"Rey," Ben said in a low voice. "It's all right." Her look told him she disagreed, but Poe's droid started beeping in delight and rolled toward them in a tear. The rest of the group started to look over. 

"Beebee!" Rey crouched down to greet the droid.

"Finn, who is it?" Rose called from across the room. 

Finn's eyes flickered from Poe to Rey to Ben in turn.

"Finn," Rey said, her eyes equal parts hurt and hopeful.

"Uh, it's Rey and Ben."

Gasps of "Ben?" and "...Solo?" and "Wait, what?" filled the air as the crowd surged toward the arrivals. Rey and Ben shared a look.

"You weren't expecting us," Ben said, his voice flat, his sigh resigned. The couple were surrounded by shaking heads. Finn mouthed " _I'm sorry_." to Rey.

Lando glanced around and raised a hand. "Look—" But he was interrupted by a Wookie roar. Chewbacca, Threepio, and Leia entered from a corridor behind the bar, each carrying a tray laden with festive edibles. Chewbacca's shout — also Ben's name, in Shyriiwook — startled not only Lando and the crowd, but Leia, who looked up sharply and—

The CRASH of metal drowned out even Chewie. Leia dropped both the silver platters she was carrying and behind her, Threepio failed to stop in time and slammed into her, dropping his own platter as well. Doughy puffs, brightly colored berries, and blue milk spilled every which way.

"Oh dear, oh dear," the golden droid muttered. Everyone else was silent and still.

Leia's eyes washed over her son — her son! — across the room. It was almost too much to believe he was real. She'd followed his progress since the end of the war. Rey sent in reports. Infrequent and tight lipped, but they also travelled in one of the more well known ships in the galaxy, and Leia had contacts across the galaxy. While the government slowly put itself back together, Rey and Ben took on odd jobs helping vulnerable populations on worlds underserved by the Empire or the Republic. They worked outside the law, using an alternative revenue stream of money stolen from corrupt leaders, slavers and spicerunners, and the occasional warlord. They did whatever needed to be done in the moment to steal power back for the powerless. The systems and leaders Leia had given her whole life to uphold would frown on it. Her own feelings were more complicated.

Rey pressed Ben's hand, sending courage and warmth through their bond. He took a deep breath and turned to the Wookie he'd known since birth. "Chewbacca. We. . . I . ." Ben took another breath and set his jaw. He looked so much like his father. "We would like to wish you a very happy and prosperous Life Day." 

The crowd held a collective breath, eyes pinned on the drama unfolding. Chewie cocked his head and glanced down to meet Leia's eyes. She didn't speak, didn't move. But he nodded, and made a noise, something between a growl and a purr. In a rush the Wookie closed the space between him and Ben and pulled the young man into a tight embrace. 

The room erupted in chatter. Poe sputtered, and a few others frowned. But Lando threw his arms around both Chewie and Ben with a loud and relieved guffaw and his laughter was contagious. A slow quiet smile passed over Leia's face. Content that Ben was safe, Rey approached his mother, and her mentor, but grew shy at the last minute and leaned down to assist Threepio with the mess on the floor.

"Let me help." Threepio refused on principal— "You are a _guest_ , Mistress Rey!" — but allowed Deo in her stead. As the droids cleaned up, Rey stepped back beside Leia.

"Thank you," the older woman said. Rey had done what Luke, Han, and she had been unable to: remind Ben Solo who he was and who he wanted to be. And now she'd brought him home.

"Thank you for inviting us." Rey's eyes shone with joy. "It means so much, truly."

Leia frowned, but before she could answer Rose's high pitched squeak drew the room's attention.

"Hello there," a blue figure greeted Rose.

Leia's smile widened. "Ben Kenobi!" Ben's eyes darted to the man whose name he was given, that he knew so little about.

"I didn't mean to startle the girl," Kenobi said with a passing attempt at chagrin that he clearly didn't truly feel.

"I've never seen a ghost before. Finn told me about you but…" But that was different from having one appear fully formed but also see through in the middle of a holiday party. Kenobi smiled, putting her at ease (mostly). "Hi. I'm Rose."

"Hello, Rose."

Suddenly, as if the simple exchange opened the flood gates, the room filled with blue wisps of all species, shapes, and sizes.

"Oh my." Threepio spoke for everyone. The figures were everywhere, some practically solid, some barely formed. They weren't frightening exactly, and certainly not malicious, but there were so many and some were familiar. . . _Wait, was that Amilyn Holdo? But she wasn't a Jedi._

"What—"

Chewbacca's roar interrupted again, and again he was embracing a Solo with every fiber of his being (and his soul, too, that's the only way you hug a ghost, right?)

"Han?" Leia whispered. Ben stared at them both.

"Hey, princess."

Years of emotion caught in her throat and she felt tears in her eyes. But, still, Leia is a pragmatist and none of this made much sense.

"What's going on?" She peered around the room to find the one ghost she was used to. "Luke!" He walked to her side obligingly. "Luke, what is going on?" she asked with a tone that demanded an explanation and held him completely responsible for the entire situation at once. It was a tone very familiar to Luke, as well as Han, Ben, Lando, Poe, and a handful of others at least.

Luke smiled an enigmatic, and infuriating, smile. "It's Life Day."

Leia shook her head. They'd celebrated Life Day before and only ever seen Luke as a ghost. What was different about this year?

 _Well, Ben for one_ , she mused. But at best Ben's presence would explain Han's and Kenobi's appearance... Leia's stomach dropped as she considered it might also explain— yes, there he was near Kenobi. Anakin Skywalker. But also... Padmé? She couldn't be certain, but a young woman with flowing hair full of flowers and starlight and standing with Anakin Skywalker... Leia blinked. Starlight in her hair. She turned slowly to the tree covered in glowing orbs.

"Threepio..."

"Yes, Mistress Leia?"

"How many lights did you put up this year?" She gestured toward the tree.

"One for every member of Chewbacca's extended family."

"...His _extended_ family?"

Force ghosts were still popping in. One for every orb.

Rey looked over to Ben. "Threepio invited us, too..." she told Leia.

"He said it was on your behalf," Ben added, a flutter of panic in his chest.

"Mistress Leia asked me to make this the best life day ever," the droid explained.

Silence fell again. The room was full to bursting with both the living and the dead.

"...Paige?" Rose said in a hushed voice, afraid to believe her eyes. But the ghost of her sister grinned and Rose burst into tears. Snap Wexley had a ghostly arm around his stepfather. Leia looked back at Luke to find him surrounded by parents; his and hers and theirs. 

Chewie threw his arms around Threepio, engulfing the droid in a giant hug. The tension broke and laughter filled the room. 

"A party is this not?" Luke's pint sized and ancient Jedi Master banged his stick on the ground and no one in the room, ghost or not, could tell if they heard the impact or felt it through the Force. 

"Well said, Master Yoda," Leia addressed the room with a bemused expression and a raised glass. Then quietly to the ghost of her twin, "How is Yoda part of our family?"

"The Jedi considered the relationship between Master and Padawan to be a type of familial line."

Leia shook her head at the warehouse full of rebels, ghosts, and misfits. AKA her family. "Of course they did."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that was a _Leverage_ reference. It's how I like to imagine Ben's post-war life: "sometimes bad guys are the only good guys you get".


	3. They are trying to do the unimaginable

Pockets of discussion broke out all around the room. Even among the ghosts they acted like they hadn't seen each other in years….maybe they hadn't, Leia mused, she didn't know how the afterlife worked. _Ugh_ , she had a headache. Lessons from childhood nudged her to greet each guest in turn. Lessons from her days in the Senates urged her to "work the room" and shore up support for her cause. Her time in the Rebellion and the Resistance made it nearly impossible to not assess her guests for threat level or useful skills.

"Relax." Luke was a warm presence beside her. She felt him soothing her through their bond, echoing his directive.

Leia frowned. Easy for him to say. He'd never been a royal or a senator or led an army. He'd never been a parent. And he was dead. It was probably a lot easier to relax when you're dead.

"You'd be surprised," Luke answered her unsaid thought. Leia shot him an annoyed look, but really, she'd missed his uncanny ability to understand what she needed. She missed him. Luke smiled, understanding. "There are a lot of people here who do have experience as royals, senators, generals, and parents. And they would love to talk to you about it."

Past her brother she saw Bail and Breha Organa and Padmé Amidala and a bit further on, Owen Lars was embracing a middle-aged woman Leia didn't recognize as his wife watched, smiling through tears. Leia didn't trust her voice, but she nodded to Luke and let him usher her towards them. There were others on the sidelines— Ben Kenobi and a handful of people alive and dead Leia thought she knew by reputation, various Jedi and politicians from history. Han was on the other side of the room, with Rey and Chewie and Lando, all waving their arms animatedly. Discussing the _Falcon_ Leia surmised.

In the middle of it all, two figures were separate, and awkward, amidst the crowd. Anakin watched as Luke introduced Leia to Padmé, and Ben stood in the shadow of the tree.

"You're not in the squad." Ben glanced over to find Poe with crossed arms and accusing eyes. 

"What?"

"You might be forgiven. You might be family." Poe leaned in. "But I'm watching you."

Ben's lips tightened. Poe's anger flowed over him in waves. "Noted."

"Leia," Bail placed his hands over his daughter's. He wasn't as solid as Luke, or as bright, but she felt the shift in weight, and his presence in the Force. "I'm so proud of you." 

Meeting her birth mother after all these years was surreal. Hearing her trade compliments with her adoptive mother healed scars Leia never realized she had. But she had always been closest to her father, had always sought his praise. His was the counsel she most missed when she'd been a part of the New Republic, and when she'd reformed the Rebellion as the Resistance. There were so many questions she'd wanted to ask over the years.

"Papa..." Leia raised her chin and met his eyes. It had been a lifetime since she'd seen him. More than one. Alderaan had been gone more than most of the still living people in the room had been alive. "Are you happy? Are you free?"

"Are _you_ happy?"

"I'm..." Leia glanced toward her son. Her eyes narrowed at the animosity she sensed between him and Poe. Rey, too, felt a ripple in the Force and looked over to Ben. 

Poe shook his head. "I won't let you hurt them again." Ben didn't answer, but his fingers curled into fists. Frowning, Rey started toward them.

Anakin appeared suddenly beside Leia, causing her to jump back. "What's wrong?" he asked, pulsing in his agitation.

Bail glared. "Give her space!"

"I wasn't..." Anakin stammered. "I felt..." Leia's distress was palpable. 

"Why should any of us trust you?" Poe asked Ben.

"You don't belong here," Bail told Anakin.

"I'm her—" Ben and Anakin started to answer.

" _I'm_ her father," said Bail.

"I don't care," said Poe.

Rey quickened her steps. Leia raised her hands.

"You're the monster who blew up Kajimi!" shouted Poe.

"You're the monster who blew up Alderaan!" shouted Bail.

"That wasn't me!" Anakin and Ben roared in one voice. Everyone turned at the sound and a visible fear filled the room. "That was—"

Both men fell silent and turned to look at the each other with haunted eyes. As one they turned their gaze to Luke and Padmé, to Leia and Rey.

Anakin looked down at his hands. They blinked between flesh and machinery, between open palms and closed gloves. He was quiet a long moment, then swallowed and straightened to his full height.

"Yes." His voiced filled the room. "I am responsible for the destruction of Alderaan. I am responsible for so many terrible things."

A hundred eyes widened around him. Obi-Wan felt breathless despite not having breathed in decades.

"I ... truly, deeply, regret all of it."

Padmé wanted to run to her husband, to embrace him, but she held back, knowing he wasn't done. Feeling the storm of emotions that matched his own, Luke reached out and took her hand.

"My role in the Empire, in the wars, in the desolation of the Jedi." He addressed the room. Generations of senators, Jedi, farmers, fighters, family. "I regret all of it," he told them. "All of it except..." He looked at Leia. "Except you."

 _A Jedi shall not know love_.

Anakin refused, even now, to regret love.

He turned, slowly, from Leia to Bail and Breha, and bowed his head and shoulders. "Thank you for taking care of my ... of our daughter."

Another long silent pause passed and more than Ben Kenobi were breathless, waiting. Finally, Bail nodded. "It was my greatest joy." 

Anakin and Leia smiled an identical smile. 

Relief flooded the crowd and they broke into chatter and laughter. Anakin glowed as bright as the Life Day tree as old wounds healed. His light reached every square of the room but one. Still in the shadow of the tree, Ben stood alone, a tightness in his chest and tears behind his eyes. He spun in a huff and stormed out of the room.

Rey started to follow but Leia grasped her arm. "Let me." Rey's eyes were hesitant but she nodded. She hugged her arms to her chest as the older woman walked out of sight. 

Ben was seated on the platform between the warehouse and the port hanger. His arms and legs dangled over the side and his eyes were turned up to watch the stars. It was a familiar pose, one she'd found him in a dozen times as a boy. Awkward and lonely and searching.

Leia slipped beside her son. She watched the sky with him, picking through openings in her mind. None felt right. Finally, she let go of the right way and went with her gut. Inside, Han smiled. "I'm sorry."

Ben stared. "...What?"

"I raised you as an Organa." Her voice was not sad so much as tired. When she looked over at her son he was still staring, his mouth open, like a fish.

"Good," he said, finally. "I wish I was." He frowned and shook his head. "Or I wish I... I don't want to be— to feel—"

She nodded. "I know. I denied the Skywalker part of you because... I denied it in me." It felt good to say it. She was setting down a burden she'd carried for thirty-five years. "I was afraid of what it meant to be Vader's daughter. But I should never have hidden the truth from you." History unlearned is destined to repeat. Truths hidden are certain to harm.

"I don't blame you," Ben said. "I did... but..." He swallowed. "Not anymore."

Leia raised her eyes to his. They'd lost so much time. Slowly she reached for his hand. Ben's fear of rejection washed over her, threatened to overwhelm, but she pushed through and grasped his hand. 

"I was born into this fight. It's a shadow over my whole life." Her parents kept her out of the battle as long as they could, but the war was in her blood. "I wanted something different for you. We all did." But the war was in his blood, too, and the monsters in his head.

Ben trembled. He could feel the depth of her guilt; she carried it with her everywhere, like a shroud. "I said I don't blame you!"

"Blame isn't the point." Leia tightened her grip on his hand. "This is hard for me to talk about."

The admission hung in the air between them, as palpable as her guilt and his fear. Ben nodded, a promise to listen. Leia took a deep breath.

"Luke told me... when Alderaan blew up, Ben Kenobi felt the disturbance in the Force from light years away." Her brother described his mentor losing balance, reaching for a seat and touching a fist to his head. Luke was new to the Force then. He was training, focused on the task, and on the mission, on _her_. He was saved the shock wave. But Leia watched it happen. "I thought it was just my anger, my sorrow, my fear." Years went by before she realized: it was everyone's. "I was...it was overwhelming. I was in shock. I didn't deal with any of it until days later and even when I allowed myself to mourn... I put it all into the fight. My anger made me stronger."

Ben understood. Better than Luke would, or Obi-Wan, or any of the other Jedi Bail Organa spoke so highly of. Leia could feel their presence, watching and listening and offering silent support. But her focus was on her son.

"And he was there. Vader. He was holding me." All these years and she could still feel the weight of his hand on her shoulder. "What did he feel? What if his anger made him stronger? What if it made him Vader?"

_I regret all of it except you._

She felt the flutter of untamed emotion that was Anakin Skywalker, unable to be still even in death. She used to shut it— him— out. As she had Ben, and Han, and as Luke had her. Tonight they were all tangled up together.

"Before... before he was Darth Vader, he was General Skywalker. He taught Onderonian rebels how to fight."

 _Just like me,_ Ben heard beneath her words, and within the space— the Force— between them. He heard and understood and shook his head.

"Mom—"

Leia raised her hand, a smile on her lips. "I know," she assured him. "I'm not a Sith. And—" She flashed a bittersweet look to Luke. "I'm not a Jedi." She turned back to Ben, brushed a hand through his hair, pushed it back out of his eyes and smiled fully. And brightly. As bright as a star.

"I'm something else." She shrugged. "Maybe you're something else, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that's a _Hamilton_ lyric, from "It's Quiet Uptown".


	4. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

"So...." Poe's face was scrunched in thought. "You're Lando's daughter?"

Jannah nodded with a big smile.

"But who..." Poe turned to Finn. "How...?"

"Would you like me to draw a diagram?" Zorii quipped.

Poe rolled his eyes. "I mean how did you find each other, figure it out?"

Finn shrugged. "The Force works in mysterious ways." 

Poe scowled. Finn had Jedi detachment down cold, though he only pulled it out for big gatherings like this. Had to make a good impression with the ghosts, Poe guessed. Though it also made Rey smile and given her falcon-eyed focus on the door Ben and Leia disappeared out, it was likely what Finn was going for.

Poe turned to the elaborately dressed ghosts opposite the Calrissians. Two women and a young man. Well, they were all young but the man was youngest, barely an adult. All three were wearing so many layers of clothing it made Poe itch. They were definitely overdressed for the occasion, at least based on the few Life Days hosted by Leia he'd attended over the years. Maybe it was just people wore back in the day. Poe wouldn't know— or care. What was interesting was, "And you're Obi-Wan’s son?"

Korkie nodded and beside him, Satine smiled with pride.

"Huh," said Poe. From what he understood— and to be fair, he didn't really understand, and unless someone invented time travel or got these Force-damned ghosts to write a real history he never would. But from what he understood Jedi didn't have kids. That's why Leia blamed herself for Vader being Vader and for Ben being Kylo. Which was stupid, of course. She wasn't responsible and Anakin, at least, had said so. Poe wished and hoped and prayed it was what Ben was saying now, for Leia's sake and Rey's and Finn's... And also it would be a way better party if they could all pretend like they weren't a family full of crazy uncles or that the last seventy years or so just didn't happen. 

"Don't feel bad about not knowing," Korkie said. "I didn't know until I died." And everyone in the circle laughed because what other reaction could they possibly have to that?

"Does _everyone_ have a secret child?" Poe wondered. 

A delighted squeal drew their attention to a figure that looked to all the world like a living, breathing, and _cooing_ 1:5 scale model of Jedi Master Yoda. The child waddled by, chasing a ball, and was scooped up by Bo-Katan Kryze.

Poe downed his drink and stood up to get another. Finn and Padmé stared at the Yoda-like baby, trying to determine how he was considered part of Chewbacca's family?

"Yoda was Luke's Jedi Master," said Finn.

"And he served on Kashyyk during the war," Padmé offered. "It's possible this isn't the first Life Day he celebrated with Chewbacca."

Satine raised her glass to point at her sister across the way. "Bo-Katan greeted the baby as a Mandalorian."

Padmé's mouth dropped open. "Are you suggesting Korkie and, uh—" She didn't know the child's name and leaned in to whisper, "Baby Yoda _"_ _Truly, what a ridiculous thought,_ "are cousins?"

Satine blinked. "No?" She sipped her drink, which was unfortunately not only non-alcoholic but also non-corporeal, but parties were easier with cocktails.

"Wait!" Padmé said. "Are Korkie and the twins cousins?!" If Anakin and Obi-Wan were brothers... she smiled, quite pleased with the idea.

"According to Threepio, we're all cousins." Finn coughed. "Kissing cousins."

The group glanced around the room and considered. If chaos was inherited, them being family explained a lot about the state of the galaxy.

Light flickered as Leia and Ben returned, flanked by the ghosts of Anakin, Luke, and a handful of other Jedi. Rey ran over and pulled Ben into an embrace.

"I'm sorry my friends are such—"

"Good friends?" Ben suggested with a laugh.

"Desertheads," Rey asserted.

Ben pressed his lips to her forehead. "Friends are important." He should know; he had so few.

"And family, too," said a voice from the shadows. A familiar voice, from everyone's nightmares. The party careened to a halt. Drinks were dropped, weapons were drawn, and Baby Yoda closed himself up in a floating egg. Palpatine raised a bemused eyebrow. 

"What are you doing here?" Rey demanded.

"I was invited."

The crowd swelled with anger, laughter, and universal disbelief, but Chewie's "Rawaaawwwerrr!" was the loudest.

PaIpatine shot the Wookie a look of disdain. "I'm afraid I don't speak beast."

"He said you are not a part of our family," Ben said, and the room grunted agreement. But Leia had a headache. Again.

"Threepio," she called and the droid shuffled over to the center of the room. He called in turn to his cohort.

"Artoo, display the family tree the algorithm created."

Whirring, Artoo projected a list of names as wide and intricate as a star map. Despite the danger the crowd of living and dead murmured as they found names and followed lines. One bright gold thread stretched from Rey's name to that of Sheev Palpatine. When she touched it, one of the orbs was briefly brighter. He was invited, and she was stricken. 

Anakin saw the look in Rey's eyes and jumped between her and the former Emperor, arms crossed and jaw set. "I don't care what it says. He is personally responsible for the suffering of every single person in this room."

"Now, Anakin, that's not entirely fair." Palpatine gestured into the crowd. "I don't even know this person's name."

"That's Rose," Obi-Wan provided helpfully.

"And by any other name she would be as sweet. But I still wouldn't know her or care to know her."

"She’s worth ten thousand of you!" Finn shouted.

Palpatine looked doubtful, and unmoved. Anakin growled.

"Rose is an engineer. She fixes things. All you do is destroy."

"Another exaggeration."

Yoda peered intently at the one and a half Sith and hummed loud enough to draw attention. "Brought him here the Force did.

"You're on _his_ side? Still?" Anakin shook his head. Wasn't _his_ side the _Dark_ Side? Make it make sense!

Luke stroked his chin. "Maybe we are meant to forgive him, too."

Anakin threw up his hands in disbelief. "He manipulated me from childhood! And Padmé! And Ben!"

"And when you reacted with fear and anger and hatred, he grew stronger," Luke said.

The room was hushed as the crowd considered his words, the paradox of compassion they revealed.

Rey's focus remained on the family tree, and Ben's focus remained on Rey. "Threepio..."

"Yes, Master Ben?"

He pointed. "Why is there a blank space here, over Rey's name?"

"I am sorry Master Ben but—"

"No one knows my parents' names," Rey said, quiet and sad.

"I do."

Slowly, everyone turned to stare at the ghost of their greatest enemy. He stood unbothered, and vaguely bored.

Rey looked to Leia, a plea in her eyes. Leia sighed the sigh of a woman forged by spite and defined by love. "Are you planning on possessing anyone?" she asked the Forceforsaken worst person in the galaxy.

"Not today."

No one breathed while she made her decision. "You can stay." She nodded for Threepio to restart the music and slowly the crowd drop their attack stances and begin to mingle.

Chewbacca handed Leia two unlit Life Day orbs and they both glared pointedly at Palpatine until he whispered names to both. Chewie passed the newly lit lanterns to Rey. She handed one to Ben and with a silent wish they released the orbs. The two lanterns floated up to the tree. All the orbs glowed brighter as they drew close. Rey clasped Ben's hand as she watched the orbs named after her parents circle the tree and finally settle on a branch. A pop pop noise filled the room as the lights dimmed and returned to the soft, warm, glow of celebration.

"Rey?"

Tears sprung in her eyes and she turned, shouting, "Mom! Dad!"

With Rey drawn into an embrace that filled her soul, the last grumbling protests subsided and a festive atmosphere took over again.

Leia watched as Rey pulled Ben into the light to introduce him to her parents. Behind them, Han met her eyes and grinned. Leia looked around the room, at all the people near and far who'd come to celebrate _life_. 

"Thank you," she murmured to the droid at her side.

"Mistress?"

"This is the best Life Day ever."


End file.
